via British investors eye Zimbabwe – NewsDay Zimbabwe February 12, 2015
A 19-member British business delegation is expected in Zimbabwe today to explore investment opportunities in the country.
This follows a visit last year by another British delegation which saw one of the companies investing in the country’s agricultural sector.
Invest Africa, spokesperson said the new delegation comprises 12 companies from different sectors of the economy.
Invest Africa which is funding the visit, is a club of international investors that have interest in investing in Africa.
The grouping said the 2014 visit was a success as a major investor in agriculture and a first-time visitor to Zimbabwe, saw a window of opportunity.
“. . . and now (the investor) has significant operations on the ground, making a major contribution to long-term employment. We hope to have the same impact this time around,” Invest Africa spokesperson said in a statement.
British ambassador Catriona Laing was delighted by the initiative taken by Invest Africa to organise the investment mission.
“A second mission following soon after the successful UK government sponsored mission in October last year is a signal that there are investment opportunities here in Zimbabwe,” Laing said. “There is need, however, for the government of Zimbabwe to intensify its efforts on investment policy clarification and reforms, matched by good political will to attract more foreign direct investment [FDI].
It is my hope that this will be forthcoming and Zimbabwe will see the benefit that foreign direct investment brings.”
The British embassy said members of the delegation were scheduled to network with senior government ministers, captains of industry and commercial sector leaders where they will gain useful knowledge of the market and engage with potential commercial partners.
The highlight of the International Investor Delegation visit will be the signing of a business deal between a UK business and the Zimbabwe government in an investment initiative that is expected to create jobs.
Invest Africa is a network of 350 members and includes business leaders, fund managers, private investors, family offices, entrepreneurs and policy makers —all with a common interest in Africa.
The club was founded by South African entrepreneur Rob Hersov in 2013.
The country has received various investors from France, China, Russia and Turkey who were still looking at investment opportunities in the country.
COMMENTS
Its high time the west admitted that they desperately need african resources to survive …africa has everything when it come to natural resources…without africa the west will be a sinking TITANIC
Oh pulleeaase! Who needs the sh….t that Africa hands out? It’s high time that Africa got to grips with the fact that the West feel compelled to throw money at Africa thinking that it will make a difference. After all, the whole of Africa, particularly bigwigs, knows that whatever monies come in will never, ever, reach the people it is intended for.
Judging by your intellectual capacity i seriously doubt you have a university degree..first of all your so called west will do anything to get their hands on african resources which they need to survive but they will never admit it to africans..If you are smart enough ask yourself this why is the UK, france and other western countries desperately seek investment opportunities in zimbabwe ..Why cant they invest in their so called rich countries????I’ve been to the uk before and i saw a lot of desperate hungry whites begging for food on the streets…
a little history lesson for you madam Doris a few years ago the british hated Mugabe so much because he kicked & threw them out of zimbabwe..seized back all the land they stole and handed it back to its rightful owners .In return they imposed illegal sanctions on zimbabwe,created false reports to make Mugabe a bad person the world has ever seen by now here they are on Mugabe’s doorstep begging for investment opportunities what a damn shame…
Brit investors take note: 49% means “hijack”. Suddenly new Directors – old ones sidelined; no accounts and money gone! Great investment prospect!! Go elsewhere – where your investment will be appreciated, treated with some integrity, and you can to some extent trust the govt and it’s bankers. Botswana. The kleptocratic conduct of this nation is now rewarded. You reap what you sow. What goes round comes round. The govt of Zimbabwe opened Pandora’s box of corruption and lies and now Pandora is quite out of control! Take your money elsewhere.
i invested in Zimbabwe and lost the lot stolen by someone in zpf if you put your money in zimbabwe you must be mad or have
to much money the years gfone by still waiting to get to court two high court orders no responce from the police to enforce them good luck you will need it
When you have a leadership that doesn’t give a toss for its peoples, then the point Doris makes, has to be valid.
Except for Khama in Botswana, one faces a real struggle to find anyone meeting the “caring leader” credentials amongst the present crop of demagogues on our Continent.
These people live in Palaces, have very fat Swiss Bank accounts whilst their people live in abject poverty.
Who, in their right minds, would trust their investments to them?
It is the time for the west to rush to secure their business space before china and russia occupy everything .please guys just swallow your pride and come back you need zimbabwe desperately .bumper gold .piles of diamonds .zinc what about platinum .you want to let china and russia alone on such mana